In Book 1, Chapter 10, Thomas a’Kempis advises us to use our words sparingly: staying away from chatter and gossip. Likewise, it is vanity to worry that others talk about us as much as we imagine!
Likewise, we are our own worst enemy when it comes to growing closer to the Lord Jesus. He tells us to “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ (Matt 5:37).”
So what’s a talker to do? “Watch and Pray,” If you are praying, you aren’t murmuring…you are in conversation with God. If you let Him, the Lord will help fill you silent void with Himself. It’s an exercise of a new habit in a New Year.
Book 1, Chapter 10 – Avoiding a Superfluity of Words
Avoid as far as you can the noise of others talking; for talk concerning worldly things, though it be innocently undertaken, is an obstacle, so quickly are we led captive and defiled by vanity.
Many a time I wish that I had held my peace, and had not gone among others. But why do we talk and gossip so constantly, seeing that we so rarely resume our silence without some hurt done to our conscience? We like talking so much because we hope by our conversations to gain some mutual comfort, and because we seek to refresh our wearied spirits by variety of thoughts. And we very willingly talk and think of those things which we love or desire, or else of those which we most dislike.
2. But, alas! It is often in vain and to no purpose: for this outward consolation is an obstacle to interior and divine comfort.
Therefore, we must each watch and pray (Matt 26:41) that our time may not pass away without fruit. If it be lawful and easy to speak, speak those things of God which may build others up.
A bad use or habit, and the neglect of our spiritual advancement, are a great cause of our keeping so little guard upon our mouth.
But devout conversations concerning spiritual things help advance you toward spiritual progress, especially where persons of the same mind and spirit are associated together in God.